December 21, 2024
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Xifengkou Great Wall

Tour Beijing113 mins


At 5:30 am we’ve luckily caught the rising sun over Panjiakou Great Wall, and we are back to our farmhouse at the foot of Panjiakou Great Wall. The distant water area on the right side of the farmhouse, you are still able to see the Great Wall submerged in water, the underwater great wall pass (Panjiakou Great Wall Pass ) which are viewed much clearly during the dry season.

Xifengkou Great Wall on the Great Wall east of Beijing

Not far from and to the east of Panjiakou Great Wall Pass is another famous great wall pass, Xifengkou Great Wall Pass which is also submerged in the reservoir. After breakfast, we’ll explore Xifengkou Great Wall.

you are still able to see the wall submerged in water

On the right side of the farmhouse, you are still able to see the wall submerged in water

Now before breakfast, I walk around the small peninsula since when we came her yesterday night, it was quite dark and had no time to appreciate the views. This is the boat-turned restaurant which also has several rooms for travelers to stay overnight.

Last night we had dinner on the boat house and will have breakfast soon on the same place.

This is the boat-turned restaurant.

This is the boat-turned restaurant
The farmhouse host – Mr.Liu, an early riser, now he is tugging his speedboat to the shore. The underwater great wall pass is behind him, constituting a beautiful scene.
The underwater great wall pass is behind him
A cute dog and chickens live peacefully here at the foot of Panjiakou Great Wall.
The cute dog and chickens live peacefully here at the foot of Panjiakou Great Wall
Our simple breakfast include millet porridge, millet bread, tofu, steamed buns and salty eggs.
Our simple breakfast
After breakfast, we’ll take the speedboat to Xifengkou Great Wall. 
After breakfast, we’ll take the speedboat to Xifengkou Great Wall
Now we are saying goodbye to our hostess and her family member. They are very helpful and hospitable during our short stay.
Now we are saying goodbye to our hostess and her family member
We are leaving Panjiakou Great Wall and the farmhouse. With the speedboat going faster, the mountain and great wall become smaller.
We are leaving Panjiakou Great Wall and the farmhouse

This section of Xifengkou Great Wall was originally built in the early years in Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) under the command of by General Xuda. Xinfengkou Great Pass was one of the 32 strategically important passes built on the Yanshan Mountain Ranges. It was successively repaired and rebuilt due to the numerous fights and battles in different dynasties.

Between March 09 and April 13, 1933, the Kuomintang’s 29th Army led by Song Zheyuan fought successfully against the Japanese invaders in and around Xifengkou Great Wall Pass. A few years ago, the famous film maker and actor – Jiangwen shot a film titled “The Japanese Invaders are coming” and one of the scenes were selected here around Xifengkou Great Wall.

In 10 minutes, our speedboat takes us close to Xifungkou Great Wall with its pass city submerged under the reservoir. Xifengkou Great Wall is sectioned into two parts – north part (north of the pass city) and southeast part (south of the pass city). It is said that Xifengkou Pass was impregnable with a pass city built of three pass doors.

Xifengkou Great Wall with its pass city submerged under the reservoir. Now we are approaching a makeshift quay and clearly see a “Japanese” blockhouse high on a hillside with a huge placard written with the film name “The Japanese invaders are coming.” So the blockhouse is a used stage property, which has been well preserved as a magnet attracting domestic tourists.

a “Japanese” blockhouse high on a hillside

a Japanese blockhouse high on a hillside
Jumping from our speedboat taking up a berth at a make-shift quay, we walk along a path leading up to the Xifengkou Great Wall. The courtyards and rooms are used stage properties by the film named “The Japanese Invaders are coming”.
The courtyards and rooms are used stage properties
We trudge up the hill and walk along a trodden path by the wall.
We trudge up the hill and walk along a trodden path by the wall.

We are on the wall starting from the third watch tower of its south section of Xifengkou Great Wall. From this angle, we clearly see the submerged pass city in the reservoir with its north and south (on our side) sections of Xifengkou Great Wall.

We clearly see the submerged pass cit.

we clearly see the submerged pass city
We walk past the third fort and turn back taking a picture of the tower sitting on an overgrown and crumbling wall winding up on the hillside.
taking a picture of the tower sitting on an overgrown and crumbling wall winding up on the hillside
On our left side below, we spot our speedboat docking at the simple pier at a bay and Panjiakou Reservoir looks a huge lake surrounded by mountains by all sides.
we spot our speedboat docking at the simple pier at a bay
We continue to walk on the trodden path teemed with bushes and saplings on the wall top down to the second watch tower.
walk on the trodden path teemed with bushes and saplings

Pass through the dilapidated fort and move on to the first tower on the south section of Xifengkou Great Wall. This fort is still preserved in a better shape than the previous two towers we have just walked through.

We are inside the first tower on the south section of Xifengkou Great Wall.

We are insidet the first tower on the south section of Xifengkou Great Wall.
Again we walk through the first tower and step down to the most northern tip of the south section of Xifengkou Great Wall where it was once linked to the great wall pass city, but submerged in the reservoir.
step down to the most northern tip of the south section of Xifengkou Great Wall
The wall is disappearing into the water of Panjiakou Reservoir.
Again we are back to our speedboat and asks Mr.Liu our boat driver to come closer to the north section of Xifengkou Great Wall which is also disappearing into the water of Panjiakou Reservoir.
come closer to the north section of Xifengkou Great Wall
Now we are returning to Panjiakou Dam where our Buick Van is parked and finish our fam trip to Panjiakou Great Wall and Xifengkou Great Wall.
Now we are returning to Panjiakou Dam where our Buick Van is parked
Any questions, just drop a line.

One thought on “Xifengkou Great Wall”

  1. Dear Sirs:

    Ni Hao Ma.

    I have been reading and learning about the XiFengKou of the Great Wall and it’s significance in 1933 where brave chinese soldiers fought against overwhelming numbers and firepowers of the japanese. As I am a student and proponent of the chinese Big Saber of DaDao that was used to heroic status in this battle, I will be traveling to China this year 2012 to visit these historic sites of the Great Wall. I want to honor these brave souls who knowing the overwhelming odds fought to their death defending against the invaders.

    As I do not know the geography of China or the Great Wall, I would like to know where I can obtain a map with both Chinese and English. I do not know how to read chinese so the English definitely would help me to plan my trip and to see these historic sites during my limited trip. I am planning to visit China in July or early August 2012 and hope you can offer some assistance.

    Also, do you know of a teacher who teaches the use of the Dadao (Big Saber) in or around the Beijing area who would be willing to give me some abbreviated lessons during my visit to China? As a student of this historic weapon, I would like to see how this weapon was actually used and how I could learn from it.

    By the way, I am an American of Chinese Decent, so I am discovering just now my lost chinese heritage. Xie Xie Ni for any help you can offer.

    AL N. Leon
    [email protected]
    Honolulu, Hawaii 96815

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